WestJet Airlines has reached a deal with its pilots that may allow it to begin expanding its wide-body fleet sooner rather than later.

The Calgary-based airline, which launched service to London-Gatwick in May, has long hinted that it is interested in competing with Air Canada on long-haul international flights, perhaps even launching routes to South America or Asia someday.

However, the existing contract between WestJet and its pilots limits the airline to the four wide-body Boeing 767s it currently operates, making a new round of salary negotiations necessary before any international expansion plans could proceed.

The company signed a tentative agreement with its pilots over the weekend that could eliminate that hurdle, Saretsky said Tuesday on a conference call with analysts. He said pilots must still vote on the contract, but if it is ratified, WestJet will announce more details about its wide-body fleet and its international ambitions.

"As soon as we know the outcome of that vote, we'll be in a much better position to talk about what the future of wide-body at WestJet looks like," Saretsky said.

Also on Tuesday, WestJet for the first time publicly put a dollar value on the impact of Alberta's carbon tax, which will come into effect Jan. 1. The company said the carbon levy — which will apply to jet fuel purchased for intra-Alberta flights, such as Calgary to Edmonton, will cost the company approximately $3 million in 2017.

Saretsky said WestJet already pays $60 million annually in provincial and federal fuel taxes. He said if the Trudeau government goes ahead with a federal carbon tax, that could work out to $60 to $70 million in additional costs for the airline, "all of which we would work to pass through ticket prices."

"So you know, it's not a good story for consumers," Saretsky said.

On Tuesday, WestJet completed the second-highest quarterly profit in its history, despite the economic downturn in its home province.

The Calgary-based company said it had $116 million of net income or 97 cents per share in the three months ended Sept. 30.

That’s a WestJet record profit for a third quarter, which is often the busiest time of year for Canada’s airlines.